Major Label-Owned Vevo Caught Publicly Streaming NFL Game Off Of 'Rogue Site'

from the where's-ice-when-you-need-them? dept

Where’s ICE when you need them? For a while now, ICE has been making the case that sites that merely link to streaming content — especially sports content — are the most evil kinds of criminals around. It’s why they’re trying to extradite Richard O’Dwyer from the UK to have him face criminal charges. It’s why they recently arrested Yonjo Quiroa, who will soon be tried on criminal charges as well. Both ran sites that linked to streams of TV content, including sports content. So clearly, this is serious, criminal business. In fact, if you believe the propaganda from the RIAA, these sites contribute to gangland violence and terrorism.

But, of course, when those major label guys want to set up an illegal public performance of an NFL game, where do they turn? You guessed it! One of those rogue sites.

Jason Kincaid over at TechCrunch has the rather insane story of how Vevo, the music video streaming company created by Universal Music and owned by Universal Music and Sony Music, had a booth set up at Sundance a few weeks back, where they, quite clearly, live-streamed an NFL playoff game. Yeah. In their “lounge,” they had computers showing the game, apparently sourced from ESPN America — which isn’t available in the US. And the stream came from TuTele.tv, which appears to be quite similar to many of the sites that have been seized and shut down. In fact, it sounds pretty similar to Rojadirecta, which is currently fighting the US Justice Department in court.

And the folks from these major record labels used this source to live stream the football game throughout their lounge area at Sundance.

It gets even more ridiculous when you remember that Congress has been trying to pass bills that would make such streaming a felony in and of itself. Senator Amy Klobuchar’s streaming felony bill, S.978 — the one that would potentially put Justin Bieber at risk — as well as SOPA, both had provisions that made public performance of infringing content a potential felony. Those were mainly supposed to be directed at sites that allow streaming, but I think people would find it hard to argue that what happened in that bar was not a “public performance.”

Of course, what this shows is that these issues are never as black and white as the RIAA would have you believe. And, just like many others, when the industry doesn’t give them a convenient way to do what they want, even the RIAA’s strongest supporters stoop to making use of rogue sites to potentially do “criminal acts.”

I eagerly await ICE moving in to arrest Vevo execs for this blatant criminal activity.

Filed Under: , , , , ,
Companies: emi, riaa, sony music, universal music, vevo

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Comments on “Major Label-Owned Vevo Caught Publicly Streaming NFL Game Off Of 'Rogue Site'”

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48 Comments
Anonymous Coward says:

Why would they arrest Vevo execs. They would arrest that criminals who were responsible – the jackholes who were in charge of Vevos booth. Most likely their “events” personnel who will almost surely lose their jobs now that word of this has leaked. The only thing that leaking this is going to do is send a few people to the unemployment line and most likely introduce a new training video to newly hired employees – “Infringing is Baaaad Mmmm Kay!”

Anonymous Coward says:

You bitching about Vevo is ridiculous. This is a venture by the music labels to do EXACTLY what you have been telling them to do – put their content on the web and make it ad sponsored and ubiquitously available. Honestly, I am not sure if there is ANY video service that is offered on more platforms that YouTube.

Nothing they do will EVER make you happy – there is no way they will ever listen to you. You haven’t just burned the bridge you have widened the chasm between the two sides with explosive hyperbole. I would like to suggest you read Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People. At first I was going to suggest specific chapters, but I think you would be better served reading the thing cover to cover several times. It will probably take a long time to sink it.

Mike Masnick (profile) says:

Re:

You bitching about Vevo is ridiculous. This is a venture by the music labels to do EXACTLY what you have been telling them to do – put their content on the web and make it ad sponsored and ubiquitously available. Honestly, I am not sure if there is ANY video service that is offered on more platforms that YouTube.

Where did I complain about what Vevo does as a service?

I’m not bitching about what Vevo does as a service. I’m pointing out that they violated copyright law in a pretty blatant way at this particular event. And the point is that I think what they did is totally normal.

I just have issues with them being owned by organizations that claim that what they did is a *crime*.

MAFIAA Public Relations says:

The nerve of you freetards! We just invited ICE’s Operation In Our Sites Team to Sundance and wanted to show them a few other rogue sites that needed to be seized. How do you expect them to collect evidence without visiting the rogue sites first? Come on, they’re not making up those charges completely out of thin air!

Also this video will be removed soon as per our agreement with YouTube that allows us to delete anything & the fact it’s violating the NFL’s copyrights. The reporter will be the one arrested since he’s clearly telling people how to go to a rogue site. In summary, YOU FUCKERS HAVE NEITHER THE EVIDENCE OR THE CONNECTIONS TO ARREST US SO STOP STEALING AND KISS OUR COLLECTIVE ASSES.

Anonymous Coward says:

I eagerly await ICE moving in to arrest Vevo execs for this blatant criminal activity.

While I would find it hilarious, it’s easily debatable that a one time offense is not comparable to creating a site “for the sole purpose of”. However it shows the hypocrisy involved and proves that ICE is really sold to the highest bidder.

Anonymous Coward says:

both had provisions that made public performance of infringing content a potential felony. Those were mainly supposed to be directed at sites that allow streaming, but I think people would find it hard to argue that what happened in that bar was not a “public performance.”

Actually, it would be easy to argue — not that this wouldn’t necessarily be a “public performance” — but that the bills didn’t include the type of performance here.

Both bills only applied to “public performance by means of digital transmission.” That excludes public performance by other means, such as by audiovisual devices like TVs or laptops.

Al Bert (profile) says:

High Court/Low Court "Justice"

Agree, but i’d like to add that it likely doesn’t need to even be swept under the rug at all. In general, these forces have enough influence in the the government and enough control over what people see and hear, I imagine they’re quite confident they can operate in open violation. The only force universal may have to reckon with would be the NFL.

TtfnJohn (profile) says:

Thing is that we have all this wrong. We need to learn that the RIAA and MPAA can do no wrong. Ever. Eternally. Ever.

OK, so what Vevo did would get others busted for piracy and maybe tossed into jail. But they’re owned by RIAA members so it can’t be piracy. The RIAA has the right to do whatever it wants, whenever it wants.

After all, between the MPAA and RIAA they control the world don’t they? They’ve told Congress they do. They’ve told various parliaments they do, If you as they’ll tell you they do.

Surely they wouldn’t fib, would they?

/s

Anonymous Coward says:

more likely

If you believe their ‘bs’ there are no excuses…. the IP holder is RESPONSIBLE regardless of who or what committed the action…

At least that’s what they keep telling the court, until they are caught, then it’s just a ‘bad actor’ or the ‘kid next door stealing our wi-fi’…..

Smells like Hypocracy…. (TM Patent pending…. use the name of my next song and I’ll sue….)

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